One Little Thing
by CheddarFetta
Summary: Let's back-track the 2015 season. After Kyle's failed proposal, Phoebe never became involved with Ash. There are however, one (or two) little things that will test Kyle and Phoebe's relationship in a whole other way...
1. Avoidance

**1\. AVOIDANCE**

"Phoebe Nicholson, will you marry me?"

Those had been the words that Kyle Braxton had said to his girlfriend and the love of his life, Phoebe Nicholson, just a little too confidently and a little too publicly.

Whether it was Kyle's fault for putting her on the spot in front of half of Summer Bay or whether it was Phoebe's fault for her failure to commit comes down to personal opinion. Perhaps it was no-one's fault; a mixture of the wrong place at the wrong time.

Most of the Bay has only just stopped talking about the flop of a proposal, with every resident having their own say and their own opinion on whose side they are on. However, there is one thing that can be said regardless of who you are backing. The proposal had changed everything for Kyle and Phoebe, beginning with their relationship.

Since Phoebe's gave her answer of ' _not yet, but not never_ ', Kyle has been avoiding her like the plague, while the same can be said for Phoebe towards him.

The two have found each other working very different shifts at Angelo's -which is not such a coincidence-, while Phoebe has also found herself staying in a caravan at the caravan park nearby.

The couple that used to be so completely on the same page as one another are now passing ships that have barely said 'boo' since the talk that was supposed to sort out all of the mess from the aftermath of the proposal.

 **#**

The avoidance between the couple works well until the Friday morning comes, when a overlooked rostering issue comes to fruition.

"Oh, hi" Phoebe greets as she walks into Angelo's Restaurant while she is busy with tying her high up out of her face; having sacrificed ten minutes of preparation time for ten more minutes of sleep.

"Hey" Kyle replies in a soft voice with a small smile, appreciating the fact that it is good to see her _before_ the situation has any chance to become awkward.

The two fall into step and find a comfortable rhythm with each other's company while carrying out the tasks needed for the restaurants opening procedure. This is going well and all is remaining civil until Kyle notices something unusual upon sneaking a look in Phoebe's direction.

"Phoebs, are you feeling alright? You look really pale" Kyle comments with concern. He raises the question gently, knowing that he is still walking on eggshells.

Phoebe just nods despite the ill feeling that she cannot mistake from within her.

"Yeah, of course I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be?"

Phoebe's response creates a rhetorical question, which Kyle just shrugs off and gets back into his work to avoid answering, knowing that there is nothing else that he can say to that.

After the slight distraction, the two continue working silently which in itself is a very different pattern to the usual opening of the restaurant. However, the silence is not uncalled for, nor is it hard to understand. Really, neither Kyle nor Phoebe is really certain of their relationship and neither of them is sure if they're really together or not...

As the first customers of the day begin to show up, Matt Page -the missing employee who is supposed to working with the awkward couple- does too.

"Sorry I'm late. You wouldn't believe what happened to me this morning. I was about 10, 20 minutes early, then, out of nowhere, this dinosaur –a brontosaurus- just started walking beside me, looking for a chat. The poor thing was going through some rough stuff and I couldn't leave him without talking it out."

While the bad cop of Kyle and Phoebe just rolls his eyes at Matt's usual far-out story as another excuse for being frequently late, the good cop just snickers with a slightly amused smile.

"Whatever Matt, just get started. You know what you have to do" Kyle grumbles while Matt just grins widely at the fact that he has managed to keep his job for another day.

The three of them continue working with the third person making it easier on Kyle and Phoebe's awkwardness. This works well until about an hour or so into the shift, Phoebe's lie that she is feeling fine becomes harder to hide as the room begins to spin while she's carrying drinks out to customers.

"Matt!" Phoebe hisses to the teenager as soon as she places an order of drinks on the table. "Cover me? I just need some air for a minute."

Matt doesn't have a chance to argue or disagree before Phoebe has fled, heading for the open-air balcony overlooking Summer Bay's beautiful beach.

"Matt said you came out here. Are you sure you're okay? Do you need the rest of the day off?" Kyle questions as he approaches Phoebe who's seated with her face in her hands on the balcony a few minutes after she has come out.

Unhappily, Phoebe just sighs, standing up and attempting to walk back into the restaurant until her own body spoils that plan, making it hard to hide her footing that slips up as she nearly trips from the faint and dizzy feeling in her head.

"That's it. You can't even walk. As your employer I won't let you stay at work for the rest of the day. Go home or go to the doctors, just take it easy" Kyle says firmly, slotting into boss-of-the-establishment-mode.

"I'm fine! Just a little lightheaded, it's probably just a mild hangover" Phoebe insists, lying through her teeth to prove her point; knowing all too well that she didn't touch a drop of alcohol last night.

Kyle just examines Phoebe, closely, with his boss-mode disintegrating while he blurs the lines a little more by taking a hand of hers into his.

"Phoebe. I'm serious. I'm worried about you. If there's something going on, you'd tell me, wouldn't you?"

Instead of replying to Kyle's earnest concern, she just removes their hands from one another, taking the high road as convincingly as she can despite the fact that she's struggling with walking and she's struggling with the nausea for the second week in a row.

"Fine... I'll go. Bye, Kyle."

 **#**

Upon leaving Angelo's, Phoebe's phone begins to ring within the pockets of her pants. She doesn't hesitate to pull it out and she doesn't hesitate to answer it when she sees the phone call is coming from Nate; both her friend and doctor, although she can guess what his call is regarding.

"Doctor Sexy! Hey! How's it going?"

Phoebe's answer on the phone is over-confident to conceal the fact that she is feeling anything but confident on the inside.

"Hi Phoebe. I'm just calling to let you know that the results from your blood test are in, you might-" Nate begins to explain over the phone, trying to urge her to make an appointment and come into the hospital before he is cut off.

"So I've just got low iron, yeah? Kill a couple of cows and cook them up and I'm all good, right? Thanks Nate-o, I'll see you around."

Phoebe is quick to try and give herself the answer that she wants to hear before trying to end the phone call, but Nate quickly speaks before she can hang up.

"Hold on Phoebe. Yes you're iron levels are low, but I think you should make an appointment and come in."

"I can't really be bothered with going back there in a hurry. I'd prefer if you just told me over the phone, Nate."

Nate sighs. It's probably recognized as protocol to meet with the patient to discuss a matter like this, but Phoebe is different. If Phoebe didn't want to come in, then Phoebe wouldn't be paying the hospital a visit anytime soon. Plus, he sees her out and about enough to be able to discuss it more with her when he has a chance to catch her alone.

"Something else showed up on the blood test. Congratulations Phoebe, you're pregnant."

Phoebe just sighs. Nate is telling her nothing that the two home pregnancy tests haven't already told her. However, he is still telling her something that she doesn't want to tell Kyle...

* * *

 **Chapter 1! As an absolutely massive Kyle/Phoebe fan, I have wanted to write a Koebe story for the longest time. I nearly wrote something like this around the time of the proposal before the show sort of followed my idea.**

 **Anyway, this is just some of the Kyle & Phoebe storyline's from last year that are far more favourable to the fans of this couple.**

 **Let me know what you thought and if you would like more!**

 **Next chapter: Phoebe's secret doesn't stay a secret for much longer when 2 people are on her case. Is one of those people Kyle, or will she tell him upfront?**


	2. Suspicions

**2\. SUSPICIONS**

After her unsuccessful morning at work and after her unwanted confirmation from her doctor, Phoebe is determined to spend the rest of her day 'accidentally' ignoring anyone she sees on her path from Angelo's, back to the caravan park. Let's face it; Summer Bay is a minefield of deep-and-meaningful conversations and friendly residents that are just ready and waiting for a chat.

However, on her way back to the caravan park, she spies a very recognisable blonde pushing a pram along the footpath. At this sight, Phoebe makes an extra effort to go unnoticed by pulling her phone out to appear busy.

When she hears the "Hey Phoebs" from a very familiar voice, she knows she has failed and she knows she has no choice but to acknowledge her close friend and almost, sort of, sister-in-law.

"Hey Rick. Sorry I can't chat for too long, I'm just on my way back to the van."

"No worries. Feels like I haven't seen you in ages since you've been there. How have you been anyway?"

Phoebe just shrugs, thinking about how best she can short-cut the conversation to be on her way.

"Eh, I'm alright. Been a bit under the weather with the flu, but I'll live. What about you and the little guy?" Phoebe replies as she gestures to the pram that Ricky is pushing rhythmically, and in particular, to the baby within it.

"Yeah we've been fine. I've just been trying to get Case into a bit of a routine so I can at least be a half-normal human!"

Phoebe nods with a small smile. Babies... Routine... Half-normal human... All of the oh-so tempting prospects that come along with motherhood. She just shudders at the thought knowingly, feeling a little sicker than she already had been.

"Well that sounds like a blast. Anyway, I'm sorry but my bed is really calling me right now... Just when I thought I was over the worst of the flu" Phoebe responds, resuming her attempts to get away from people and just get back home.

Ricky nods understandingly, giving her friend a hug goodbye while her mind is ticking away.

What Ricky also knows is how great that 'the flu' is to cover up a _particular_ excuse. Ricky knows the look of feeling sick and seedy from a certain form of morning nausea. Ricky also knows that Phoebe used the excuse of having gastro last week, too...

Perhaps it is her mind just creating a bit of drama because she is going stir-crazy from staying inside the house with a newborn for so long. Perhaps, Phoebe really is cursed enough to have the flu and gastro in a matter of day. Or, perhaps Ricky really is onto something with her little theory that her friend is covering up more than a cold.

But surely, if Ricky really is onto something, wouldn't she know about it, not having to speculate since the potential father lives just metres from her?

 **#**

When she finally reaches her van, successful in avoiding everyone else in the Bay, Phoebe is quick to get into comfort clothes. Her longer, older and less provocative outfit is just the security blanket that she needs with the predicament and lofty decision that is resting on her shoulders.

Despite having spent an entire day in the silent caravan, sitting there and thinking seriously, Phoebe feels no closer to a decision in her head, nor in her heart.

Ultimately, Phoebe has never really had the cluckiness of Ricky or Kyle. She's never dreamt of kids names or fantasized about a white-picket fence life and family. Not only has that never hugely appealed to her overall, it certainly hasn't been a consideration for any time earlier than the next ten years.

Surely this would make the decision, leaving a simple option. But of course, just to complicate matters, the idea of ending the pregnancy didn't feel right in her heart either.

That simply leaves the more complicated choices of adoption or offering Kyle the chance to raise the child, but again, neither sat right within Phoebe.

No matter how hard she thought and no matter how hard she tried to reason with herself logically or otherwise, there is not one option that stands out as _right_.

Phoebe is interrupted from her thoughts and her solitude by a familiar and distinct knock on the vans metal door.

While ignorance is the easy option, Phoebe knows that the blinds are wide open. She wouldn't even be able to try and successfully pull the wool over Kyle's eyes. He'd keep knocking until she let him in.

"Come in" Phoebe sighs, not moving a muscle from her legs-crossed position on the bed in the small caravan.

"Hi... I just thought I'd check in on you" Kyle explains, before holding up the pizza box in his hand. "And I thought I'd bring you some leftovers. You're probably not in the mood for cooking. How are you feeling now?"

Taking the pizza box from Kyle, Phoebe tries to act as normal as she possibly can, despite the fact that she has spent the entire afternoon both feeling sick from and thinking about their child.

"I'm all good. I really should have just kept working... I would have been fine" Phoebe replies, trying to downplay her sickness as much as possible, before changing the subject to avoid talking about it any longer.

"So I saw Ricky and Casey on the way home. The poor thing said she feels like a bit of a hermit."

Kyle just nods with a smile, while briefly glancing at the watch on his left arm.

"She's doing well on her own. I actually can't stay long. I said I'd be back to watch Case so that she can catch up with a friend for a little without a baby... Is it pathetic that looking after my nephew is the highlight of my day?"

Phoebe just laughs as she watches the smile that permeates from Kyle's mouth and spreads to his eyes. His total and genuine joy from family is completely visible.

... _Kyle would be a great father_.

This is the thought that catches Phoebe off guard when she finds herself almost confiding her predicament in him.

"Kyle? There's something you need to know."

Kyle looks to Phoebe expectantly, giving her his full attention and expecting her to continue speaking after delivering the cryptic statement to him.

Initially, she expects herself to tell him about the baby. However, somewhere in between lusting over father-Kyle and her fears kicking in, Phoebe realises that if Kyle knows and as soon as he knows, Phoebe would have no choice. He wouldn't give up and he wouldn't give in if it meant saving his child and becoming a father.

"Yeah..." Kyle asks, trying to prompt Phoebe to speak after she gets spooked from what her statement was initially setting up to tell him.

"Oh, you just need to know that while I'm pretty much on the mend, there's still the off chance I might not be up to working tomorrow."

Kyle just nods with a small smile. "Yeah of course, that's fine. Just give me a buzz if you're still unwell in the morning. I better get going now. I told Ricky that I'd be back by now.

"See you tomorrow Kyle. Thanks for the pizza."

As Kyle gives her a small wave, Phoebe just sits there reeling over how close she got to telling Kyle everything and confiding in him about her pregnancy; _their_ baby. But, she couldn't.

She couldn't even mention it until she knows what she wants otherwise she would have no choice. Or, it would mean planting the idea in Kyle's head and heart before potentially snatching it away from him.

At the time and in the moment, _**that**_ feels like the harsher option on him that him not knowing at all.

... Is that in itself a big clue about what _she_ wants?

 **#**

The following day, the morning sickness is not as bad as the day earlier which makes it easier for Phoebe to try and get to work, rather than trying to take the day off.

The new day is a new start for the positive and bubbly young adult, despite the deeper things that she knows that she has on her plate.

As she walks past the Surf Club en-route to Angelo's, Phoebe passes Nate and Matt –former housemates- with juices in hand.

"Hey Phoebe. Are you off to work?" Nate greets, clutching his gym bag, before gesturing to the Angelo's all-black uniform. "Are you sure you're feeling up to it?"

Even though Nate is technically off-duty and in his free time at the Surf Club, he is still in doctor-mode as he alludes to her condition that is only known by him and by Phoebe.

"Going soft in your old age?" Matt teases cheekily, despite the fact that he is quite oblivious to the meaning behind Nate checking that she is okay to work.

Phoebe just nods with a small and slightly nervous laugh as she grabs Matt's shirt to pull him to a standing position.

"Yes, that's it... I'm getting old, going soft, call me a cripple. But come on Matthew, you can't be late for the seventieth day in a row."

Matt just groans with resistance, knowing that Phoebe is right. He needs to be on time at least a couple of days a month in order to keep the thin ice that he skates on from cracking beneath him completely, leaving him unemployed.

"I'll catch ya Nate-o" Matt says to the doctor he had been drinking with, simply raising a hand as a half-hearted wave.

As Phoebe and Matt walk into Angelo's together, Kyle's attention is raised by the noise which causes him to put down the glass that he is drying and polishing.

"Oh good you're both here. I've just got to go and drop some money off at the bank. I should only be an hour at the most."

Phoebe and Matt nod, putting their stuff away before carrying on with opening up the restaurant and the other odd little things that need to be done.

"Dude, are you leaving me alone with Phoebe? I trusted you, man..." Matt whinges jokingly, with a big grin in Phoebe's direction to clarify that he's messing with her.

"You'll live" Kyle replies simply before walking out the door with one of the restaurants money bags. "I'll see you both later on."

After a few minutes of unusual silence for the outgoing duo, Matt finally speaks up after he has finished placing the table settings down at the tables.

"Seriously though, are you feeling better than yesterday? Let me know if you want me to cover for you again."

That's the thing about Matt Page. He can go from an insensitive clown to a serious and caring softie in roughly 0.2 of a second.

"Thank you, but I'm fine."

Phoebe nods with a small, but appreciative smile at the kinder side of Matt. However, his concern does get her thinking. It gets her thinking about what she nearly blurted out to Kyle last night. It gets her thinking that she needs to tell someone, or at least vent to someone who is separate from the situation... Just someone that she can talk to, to get it off her chest.

Then, much like many other times in Phoebe's life, the words are out before she has a chance to stop them or think about whether she should be saying them or not.

"So, hypothetically speaking, if Sasha got pregnant when you two were together, would you want to know about it regardless of what she did about it, or would you only prefer to know if it concerned you and she decided to have it."

The look on Matt's face is priceless. It starts with utter confusion, changing to a look of horror, before reverting back to even more confusion.

"What are you saying? Do you know something? Is Sash pregnant?!"

Matt's mind runs into overdrive after Phoebe's cryptic question as he tries to think how long it's been since he's seen his ex, not to mention wondering why she hasn't contacted him since.

"Oh, no, chill. Remember I said _hypothetically,_ remember? _I'm_ the one who's pregnant."

Again, the words are out before Phoebe has a chance to consider whether she wants them to be.

The thing is the more people that are told, the more people that know and the more people that have to keep a secret, a secret... Especially when Phoebe doesn't realise that she and Matt are not-so alone when she utters the words, that go overheard when a familiar man with a familiar voice in the doorway repeats them.

"You're pregnant, Phoebe?!"

* * *

 **Oooh. So who is the man that has heard that?! Is it Kyle? Or is it another bloke from the Bay? Place your bets.**

 **THANK YOU so much to the lovely souls who reviewed my first chapter! I can't believe that people actually read my story!**

 **Next chapter : The aftermath from the male who heard Phoebe's news. Also, Ricky keeps pursuing her suspicions.**


	3. Decisions

**3\. DECISIONS**

"You're pregnant, Phoebe?!"

Both Phoebe and Matt stare-wide eyed at the man standing in the doorway with equally-wide eyes.

"No... No way. You misheard me. I just told Matt that I'm um, _pre-arranging_... Not pregnant."

However, Chris doesn't buy the weak excuse and instead he bounds over to Phoebe, wrapping the girl that he considers as a friend in a big bear hug.

"You can't tell anyone, Chris!"

"Mum's the word" Chris replies with a big goofy grin on his face. "This is so exciting! I promise that I will throw you the best baby shower you've ever had!"

Chris' smile is bright and excited for his friend, assuming that she would be reciprocating the mood just as much. However, his happiness is short lived as he remembers a small detail from a week earlier.

"I can't believe I sold you a coffee last week! Why would you order one?! I feel like a criminal! Don't you know that caffeine is a no-go for bubs?"

Under her breath, Phoebe mutters a few harsh words about the local who has a penchant for rubbing people up the wrong way, despite his good intentions.

Of all people in Summer Bay, why did it have to be Chris Harrington who overheard her confession?!

"Listen Chris, thanks for being all supportive and excited for me. The thing is, Kyle and I aren't really in a good place at the moment. He doesn't know that I'm pregnant, I intend to keep it that way for now, and I don't know what is happening about the pregnancy as of yet. It wasn't a part of the plan."

Chris takes what Phoebe is telling him seriously, the excitement on his face dying down a little as he nods solemnly.

"So what are you doing here in the first place?" Matt asks Chris bluntly, in an attempt to try and move away from the topic of what he wasn't supposed to hear, for Phoebe's sake.

"We're out of takeaway containers in the Diner. Reenie sent me up here to see if you've got any to spare. We'll pay you back for them."

Matt and Phoebe instantly give Chris opposite answers with a fast and sharp "No" coming from Matt while Phoebe says the opposite before grabbing a few take away containers and handing them to Chris with one condition.

"Remember. No one can know, Chris. I'll maim you if I find out you've told _anyone_."

Chris's face falls before he clarifies one person in particular.

"Not even Reenie? But she's my bestie... We tell each other _everything_."

Phoebe doesn't say another word, instead letting her frightening ' _what do you think_?' expression do all the talking as Chris simply nods in understanding before leaving very soon after.

"Phoebs... You know that the whole town is going to know within approximately 45 minutes, right?" Matt informs his friend with personal experience of Chris's abysmal secret-keeping skills from when he would stay with Sasha.

Phoebe just nods knowingly, feeling like she is being pushed between a rock and a hard place. The more people who know a secret means the harder it is to keep it a secret...

#

Later on that day, back at the Braxton houses, Ricky hasn't given up on her suspicions of her close friend. So, considering that she is going a little stir-crazy, seeking a little bit of drama, she pays a visit next door to the main house.

"So did Phoebe work today?" Ricky asks as she walks through the door without knocking, causing Kyle's head to prick up from the accounts that he is working on diligently at the dining table.

"Yeah, she got to work alright and seeing as I didn't get any phone calls to go back and cover her I would assume she stayed there."

Ricky just nods from where she is standing in the doorway, before walking over and taking a seat on the lounge.

"That's good. When I saw her yesterday she said you made her leave early. I haven't really seen her much beyond that. Do you know how she's going overall? Is there anything new going on with her?"

The leading questions flies straight over Kyle's head as he simply shrugs his shoulders and continues working as he replies.

"As far as I can tell she's doing okay. I briefly checked on her after work yesterday but other than that I haven't really spoken with her outside of work."

Kyle's uneventful explanation just clarifies that if her suspicions are right and if she is pregnant, then he is clueless. Kyle would have told Ricky if she is in fact pregnant and if he knew; he wouldn't be able to keep it to himself. However, just because Kyle doesn't know, it doesn't mean that she isn't pregnant, right?

In that moment, Ricky realises how pathetic she is sounding and just how much she needs to find a life outside of the walls of the Braxton house, before she turns into Chris Harrington 2.0.

Surely it's all in her head...

 **#**

In an attempt to avoid developing anymore conspiracies in an attempt to spice up her life, Ricky takes Casey out for a walk to the Pier Diner for lunch.

"Hey Ricky" Nate greets, engaging in small talk as he stands beside the single-mum who is at the counter, ordering her lunch. "How have you and the little man been?"

"We're really good thanks."

As Ricky responds to her doctor and her close friend, she sneaks a glimpse down at her sleeping offspring in his pram.

"Good... What about the others? Have you seen Phoebe much lately? Do you know if she's doing better?"

"The others are fine, just same old, really. Apparently Phoebe was at work today, so that's a good sign, but besides that I haven't really seen her all that much since she moved out."

"Oh really? I didn't realise that she and Kyle aren't together at the moment."

The look and the surprise on Nate's face when Ricky mentions that Phoebe has moved out and away from Kyle only triggers one thing for Ricky. It feeds the suspicion that she has been trying to relinquish and let go of, convincing herself that it is all in her head.

However, that one look says a whole lot more than Nate is entitled to say verbally and that one look only fires up Ricky's suspicions and conviction that she _had_ **been onto something after all...**

 **#**

After work and later in the day, Phoebe is alone in the caravan and alone with her own thoughts.

She realises that she needs to make a decision, one way or the other and she knows that she needs to stick to that.

The decision that needs to be made is becoming increasingly urgent now that half of Summer Bay knows that she is pregnant; excluding the father.

She knows her decision can come down to a few choices. Having the baby; undoubtedly with Kyle's help, terminating her pregnancy, having the baby and giving it up or having the baby for Kyle to raise.

There are so many different factors that need to be taken into consideration... Her feelings, her aspirations, any maternal instinct she harbours, what a baby would mean for her and Kyle, what would happen if she chose to end the pregnancy.

Every detail seems blurry and hazy with the only two clear details in Phoebe's mind being one, that if Kyle knew, there would be no stopping him from helping her and two, that Phoebe is terrified of every decision and every outcome.

Then suddenly she is thinking about her friend and her situation. Having a Braxton baby had meant a whole world of difficulty and grief, leading to single motherhood for Ricky... She knows just how similar Kyle is to Brax and she shudders at the thought.

After all of the different conclusions and all of the different details that need be considered and weighed up, Phoebe finally feels like she has reached a decision. She finally feels like she knows what the right thing to do is...

* * *

 **So Chris knows too! Phoebe doesn't stand a chance at keeping it from Kyle now, ha ha.**

 **Thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter! The next one will probably be up in about two weeks when I get back from overseas. But, until then, I'd love to know what you all thought as well as if there is anything in particular that you would like to see me incorporate into this story. Let me know!**

 **Next chapter: Ricky confronts Phoebe about her secret. Meanwhile, Matt works on urging Phoebe to tell Kyle as Ricky urges Kyle to speak to Phoebe.**


	4. Confrontation

**4\. CONFRONTATION**

"Knock, knock" Phoebe says into the small Braxton flat where the door is wide open, as it usually is.

Ricky is quick to get to the door and greet her friend who she had invited over on the premise of a coffee and chat, but with a hidden agenda behind the invitation.

"Hey Phoebs! Come in, come in" Ricky smiles, giving her friend a hug before the two walk over to and collapse on the couch in the flat. "So how have you been? Are you feeling better?"

"Yeah I'm pretty good. I feel like I've slowly being getting on top of things."

Ricky smiles positively, with a "good" in response to her friend, while mentally trying to brainstorm how she can manoeuvre the conversation to be able to talk about what is on her mind and what she is hoping to get out of friend.

"So, since Casey was born, I feel like I've been a bit of a hermit. Tell me, what's new in the Bay? Has anything been happening with you?"

"Mm, nothing especially interesting for me... I heard there's a new kid staying with Irene. I think that's about it."

Phoebe's response could be a sign that Ricky is barking up the wrong tree and her theory is wrong. However, Ricky views it more as a sign that Phoebe wants to avoid an issue... Not that this stops Ricky who gives up on the suggestive and gentle approach, instead asking the question that she has been pondering for days now and facing it head-on.

"Okay, now if I'm totally wrong, I'll just blame some unique form of baby brain... Phoebe, are you pregnant?"

Phoebe's mouth drops, flying open. This is her first reaction before she very quickly responds by looking around and looking behind her, knowing that the door is wide open and knowing her baby's father lives next door.

"Don't stress, Kyle's out" Ricky reassures her friend, seeing the fear and seeing her reaction to check that they weren't overheard, _again_. "So, are you?"

Phoebe just nods in response. It had felt easier just blurting her secret out to Matt when she had been venting than what it feels to confirm the words aloud to Ricky.

"How far are you? Do you know if you're going to keep it?"

"I'm about 10 weeks. And no, I'm giving myself a few days to think about it, but probably not... That's part of the reason I don't want him knowing."

Ricky's face shows the fact that she looks a little surprised and set back by her friend's revelation.

"Why aren't you going to tell Kyle, Phoebs? He'd want to know... You know he'd support you."

"It'd kill him" Phoebe states simply, having given the issue a lot of thought. "Knowing that I'm pregnant with his baby, but having that taken away from him would absolutely kill Kyle. He would hate me, Rick."

Ricky nods with understanding, before the conversation is interrupted by her own sons whimpers that begin to escalate into cries as he awakens from his nap.

Silently, Ricky stands up to pick Casey up and out from his cot, rocking her baby as she sits down on her spot on the lounge that she had left initially just moments before.

"Just make sure that you are 100% confident if you make that decision to end it and make sure that it's the right decision for you; not just because you feel like it's the _easy_ choice. Really, there is no easy option."

Phoebe nods at her friend, before reaching out and grasping the hand of her friend's son, holding it gently as she rubs Casey's hand. Deep inside, Phoebe can feel her fears. She can feel the fact that she isn't 100% confident in the decision that she feels like she has made. She only feels like it is the lesser of two evils...

#

Later in the day and after Phoebe has left, Ricky strolls into the main house, hoping to find Kyle as she walks around rocking Casey.

"Hey" she says upon finding the person she is looking for drying up the dishes in the kitchen. "Want a cuddle?" she adds, offering her son to his uncle.

Despite the slightly gloomy and down expression that Kyle is wearing, his face brightens up just a little with Ricky's offer, putting the dishes and tea towel down before holding his hands out to take his nephew.

The two stand in silence together for a while, concentrating on either watching or holding the baby in the room.

"So Phoebe came over today... Have you spoken to her recently?"

"I visited her at the caravan park briefly the other day, but beyond that I've only really seen her at work."

With confirmation on her suspicions and now knowing what she knows, knowing that Phoebe is pregnant and Kyle is completely oblivious, Ricky tries to consider how she can give him a push in the right direction without blowing Phoebe's secret and trust in her.

"Don't tell her that I let on about it, but I think that she's going through some stuff. I really think you should try and reach out to her now. I think she needs a friend."

Kyle releases a small sigh, pressing a kiss to his nephew's small amount of baby hair before looking up to Ricky.

"What sort of stuff? I was a lot more than just a friend to her, Rick... I don't know if I can reach out to her right now. I don't really know where we're at and I'm not feeling all warm and fuzzy about the idea of being rejected by her all over again."

"Can't you just put everything behind you, or just at least push it to the side for a little while? I think that she needs you, Kyle."

Kyle looks a little frustrated. He knows Phoebe. He knows her incredible independence and wonders for a moment if he and Ricky are still talking about the same woman.

"What could she possibly need me for? Phoebe is hardly one to play a damsel in distress. And besides, she has friends. She has you, Hannah, Kat, heck even Matt..."

 _Oh, if only he knew_.

Kyle pauses from what he is saying before he continues to speak.

"Look, I just don't see how or why she needs me. I haven't found it the easiest thing to bounce back from everything that has happened over the last few other, either, and to be quite honest I'm struggling with it myself. I just don't know if I can support her right now and act as though nothing's changed between us."

Ricky's face hardens a little bit at her unsuccessful attempt. She holds her arms out to take her son back, planning to return to flat.

"Fine... It's your choice, but don't say that I didn't warn you."

As Ricky leaves, leaving Kyle to once again be alone with his own thoughts and woes, he can't help wondering about her urgency and the importance that she placed on talking to Phoebe.

It all seems so random that Kyle can't help but feel his curiosity being piqued...

#

Early that evening, after her chat and catch up with Ricky, Phoebe arrives at Angelo's for the dinner shift.

Matt and Ash are already there, rotating between delivering pizzas, taking orders and serving food to customers.

"Hey boys" Phoebe greets, walking in and tying the black half-apron on top of her all-black uniform.

"Alright, I'm off" Ash says after a grunted 'hello'.

Ash has been particularly crabby while working with Matt today, waiting with an impatient anticipation for the minute when he could leave work and get home for a beer after a long week.

"Have you been up to much today?" Matt asks, making small talk with Phoebe, hoping for some company and conversations that aren't riddled with grump.

"Yeah, slept in this morning and caught up with Ricky for a coffee. She guessed my secret which is becoming a pretty abysmal secret now. It's just one more person to keep it from Kyle."

Matt cringes slightly before giving his unpopular opinion, bracing himself for any pain or punishment that is inflicted as a result of his reminder.

"You know, you could always tell him. It would be easier than everyone keeping it from him."

"Well, it might not be a secret for much longer."

Phoebe carries on with her work, taking an armful of boxes into the storeroom as Matt follows closely behind her.

"What? So you are planning on telling Kyle?"

Phoebe shakes her head before responding. "No Matt, the other option which will mean it'll no longer be a secret anymore..."

"Oh..." Matt responds blankly, considering what she is telling him as she packs the boxes onto the shelf in the storeroom. "Listen. I was thinking about it, and if I were Kyle, I would want to know regardless of your choice. I really think you should at least tell him, Phoebe. It's his kid too, isn't it?"

From where the two are standing in the storeroom, Phoebe spins around and snaps at Matt.

"No Matt! This is _my_ choice, okay?! I'm not going to tell Kyle!"

However, before Phoebe has the chance to say anymore and before Matt has the chance to respond, there is another voice standing in the wide open doorway of the storeroom.

"And **what** exactly aren't you going to tell Kyle?" asks the man in question.

There is a moment of panic between Matt and Phoebe, especially for her. The two look at each wide-eyed like deer caught in headlights before Phoebe eventually takes action in answering Kyle's question.

"I wasn't going to tell you that Matt and I are seeing each other..." Phoebe replies, wrapping an arm around the younger male and praying that he would go along with the story, the lie, which seems better than the truth in her eyes.

Meanwhile, beside and in front of Phoebe, two pairs of male's eyes increase in size at surprise from the confession.

Even through the shock and even through all three of them being startled, Phoebe can still see the glaringly obvious heartbreak in Kyle's eyes.

* * *

 **Finally an update! I hope you all enjoyed it. Please let me know anything that you'd like to see in the story and I'll try my best to work it in!**

 **Next chapter: Phoebe and Matt deal with the aftermath of her confession... How long can they keep up the facade for? Will she finally be forced to tell Kyle the truth?**


	5. Revelations

**5\. REVELATIONS**

 _"I wasn't going to tell you that Matt and I are seeing each other..." Phoebe replies, wrapping an arm around the younger male and praying that he would go along with the story which seems better than the truth in her eyes._

 _But through the shock and through all three of them being startled, Phoebe can see the glaringly obvious heartbreak in Kyle's eyes._

"Are you serious?" Kyle asks earnestly, hoping he has just heard or perceived Phoebe's words wrong. He can't disguise the hurt in both his voice and his eyes as he replies with shock.

Matt quickly shoots a shocked glare at Phoebe for being wrapped up in her avoidance of telling the truth. He might not be happy about it, but Matt plays along and goes along with it for his friend.

"What can I say, I don't think it's a secret that I'm into older women" Matt hesitantly adds, trying to get over his own surprise in the moment by reverting to humour. "I'm sorry, man."

The three of them stand in complete and total silence for a moment, all three of them digesting what has just happened...

Finally, all of the whispering and all of the closeness between the two over the last few days make abundantly more sense and Kyle snaps.

"GET OUT!" Kyle yells at Matt, snatching his shirt and pushing him out of the storeroom initially, but referring to the restaurant also. "You're fired."

While Matt skulks out of the storeroom unhappily and irritated with his friend and colleague for putting him in this situation, he shoots Phoebe another unhappy glare, before leaving the restaurant.

"Kyle! You can't do that! You can't just fire him like that!" Phoebe hisses angrily.

"Well I didn't think that you would hook up with my employee without properly ending things with us, but hey I was wrong about that too."

Phoebe sighs, but with a firm glare. She is in an equally lose-lose situation.

She knows that she needs to find some way to explain the situation and get Matt his job back, but that would mean telling the truth, which she is what she was avoiding in the first place.

"Okay look, the whole thing with Matt... That's complicated. But can you please trust me, Kyle. I really need you to trust me on this and give him his job back. He's only looking out for me."

Kyle scoffs. Although he is trying to seem angry and annoyed, Phoebe can see that the real cause of his reaction and outburst all comes down to feeling hurt.

So, she takes a step forward, closer to Kyle and takes his hands in hers. The two stand together in silence for just a moment, but nonetheless, a sweet moment. It's just them. No lies, no Matt and Phoebe gives no thought to the fact that she is carrying their baby.

"What... What is this Phoebe?" Kyle says softly as he retracts his hands; all of the anger has now just boiled down to plain hurt and confusion. "I can't do this. If you want to be with galaxy-shirts, then fine, that's your choice, but you can't lead me on too."

It hurts. It physically hurts being unsure of what the best move to make is. To see the man she loves pulling away because she hurt him. It hurts trying to think what she should do next.

"I'm sorry Kyle" Phoebe just utters simply. She is tempted to tell him everything and tell him the whole story, but the same reasons stand for why she can't. She can't tell him about the baby if she won't have it. Somehow, that seems worst in this entire world of pain and difficulty.

#

"Have you lost it Phoebe?! Telling Kyle that we're together?! Do you have any idea of how many murder-slash-attempted murder charges the Braxton's have been charged with?! I'm a dead man!"

Phoebe sighs.

"I'm really sorry Matt and I'm really sorry about your job. I panicked and it just slipped out. It was the only thing that I could think of to get him off our case."

"Not cool, Phoebs" Matt frowns, taking a couple of steps and distancing himself from his friend. "Listen. I didn't mind keeping the baby thing from Kyle, but this has gone too far. I need my job. I can't keep playing along like this. You're going to need to come up with a better lie quickly, otherwise I'm coming clean."

As Matt walks off before he loses his temper from the fact that he is quite irate with his friend, Phoebe is left to stress and fret over the situation even more...

#

Getting home from work that day, Kyle is a huff, with his lingering bad mood.

At the Braxton share house, Andy and Josh are sharing a pizza on the lounge while watching some car show on TV.

Kyle silently storms inside, headed straight for his room. Entering his room, he grabs his overnight duffle-bag that is stored in his cupboards before scooping up as much as he can and as many things of importance to him.

Walking in to talk to him, Ricky stands in the door before speaking.

"What are you doing? Did you see Phoebe today? Did you talk to her?"

"Yeah... I did talk to her. I don't know why you're under the impression she needs me. Especially seeing as she and Page are an item."

Ricky looks taken back. This seems to be the normal reaction for everyone who has heard of the random coupling of Matt and Phoebe so far, including Matt himself.

"What? Matt and Phoebe? Are you sure?"

"It came straight from the horse's mouths. I walked in on them talking about keeping it from me in the store room and Phoebe straight-out admitted it."

Nodding and processing what she is hearing, Ricky can't help but wonder whether Matt and Phoebe were hiding something, but were covering it up to cover something else. So seeing as that is an all too confusing concept, she moves onto another question.

"So what's all the packing about then?"

"I'm leaving. I'm moving back to Melbourne tomorrow morning."

Try as she might, Ricky can ask, Ricky can reason and Ricky can try to convince Kyle who's mind is made up, but the only thing that would keep him from leaving is the one thing that she can't say.

#

The following morning, Matt is strolling along leisurely, before noticing another man walking further along the path ahead of him and visibly on a mission.

"Kyle! Wait up. Kyle!" Matt bellows out upon seeing his former boss pacing towards the bus stop out along the road from the Diner.

Finally, on about his seventieth attempt to catch his attention and call after him does Kyle bother responding, turning around begrudgingly.

"What, Matt? What do you want? You're not exactly my best friend right now and I've got a bus to catch."

"Where are you off to? Listen, it's just about yesterday."

Kyle sighs and reluctantly stops walking to stand and talk to Matt. "What about yesterday? And I'm moving back to Melbourne."

"Does Phoebe know?!"

"I haven't told her. She'll find out soon enough. Besides, apparently she's _your_ girlfriend now so what does it matter?!"

Matt releases a reluctant sigh, scratching the back of his head uncomfortably, knowing that he is well and truly lodged between a rock and a hard place. He feels like he has to clear up yesterday and let Kyle actually make a decision such as moving away without being it being based on or because of a pack of lies.

"That's the thing. She's not my girlfriend. There's nothing like that at all going on between us. It was just a cover up."

Kyle's face scrunches up with a confused frown. The concept of Matt and Phoebe dating is confusing in itself, but now the whole thing had just reached a whole new level of confusion.

"What was it supposed to cover up?" Kyle asks, before sighing and continuing to walk off. "Actually don't worry about it. It's still none of my business and to be honest, I can't care anymore."

Matt continues following after Kyle and in a split second decision, he scrunches his face up and despite knowing it may mean death via Phoebe, he finally unleashes the words he can't take back.

"She's pregnant. That's what the relationship was covering up because she didn't want you to know that."

Kyle continues walking for a few seconds longer, with the news that he has just been delivered not really sinking in until he stops and stands, turning back to Matt with his mouth open-wide, gaping, like the wind has just been taken out of him.

Phoebe, his former partner, is pregnant. She's pregnant with _their_ baby... With his child, his chance to be a father and have the family that he has always wanted.

Kyle continues gaping, forgetting the fact that Phoebe hadn't wanted him to know and simply reveling in the concept... That is until Matt continues to speak.

"And I don't think she wanted you to know because I'm not sure that she intends to keep it that way..."

* * *

 **Kyle finally knows! Will he be able to convince Phoebe to keep it?**

 **Next chapter: Kyle confronts Phoebe about the secret she's kept from him, but out of desperation will he do more harm than good?**


	6. Repercussions

**6\. REPERCUSSIONS**

Phoebe is alone, sitting outside of the caravan. She is just sitting there thinking about the same things that she has spent days and now weeks thinking about and allowing to consume her.

She knows she needs to call Nate and make an appointment soon, but another part of her can't bring herself to do it.

"Phoebe" she hears her name being called from metres away, from almost the other side of the caravan park.

She sees Kyle walking over towards her and even at a distance she can see the look on his face.

She knows that he knows.

Phoebe stands up as Kyle rushes towards her, his pace quickening as though she might walk off. She doesn't and the two eventually stop opposite each other, with two or three metres between them, separating them.

"You're pregnant?"

Kyle tries to be angry. He tries to let his anger and fur about all of the lies and all of the hurt from last first few days out as he speaks, but instead, his voice just croaks with a hurt and devastation that he can't hide.

"...With _our_ baby?"

Phoebe tries to nod strongly, to remain strong in her decision with conviction that not telling Kyle has been the right thing to do. But, she can't. She looks down and cowardly just looks at her feet as she gives Kyle a feeble nod in response to his question.

"Were you planning on keeping it?" Kyle asks as his voice trembles simply from vocalising the concept; he couldn't even begin to bear thinking about it.

Again, Phoebe just gives Kyle a weak head-shake, still unable to meet his eyes that would reveal exactly how she knows he is feeling.

Kyle takes a few steps closer to Phoebe, unable to know how to react, being trapped in both his dream come true and his worst nightmare simultaneously.

"Why didn't you tell me, Phoebe? You know I wouldn't have been angry. You know I would have supported you. You know much I would have wanted this. Why didn't you tell me?"

Perhaps it's the hormones. Perhaps it's the fact that she isn't prepared for the confrontation. Any reason or excuse is acceptable for Phoebe to excuse the fact that she can feel her eyes welling up with tears.

"I was scared. I was confused. You only would have supported me having the baby. Before I was actually pregnant, I had no desire to have a baby; to be a mother. I had no idea what we were and where we're at anymore. Not having it doesn't feel as scary."

Seeing her eyes well up and seeing her tears are enough for Kyle to take a few steps closer and to pull her into a hug. For a moment, it doesn't matter that she has hurt him and it doesn't matter that he is mad, but what does matter is that not a lot makes Phoebe cry.

The two take a time out from stating their cases and from discussing the sensitive topic. They take the time to just stand there, hold each other and support each other. They both need it.

Eventually, Kyle and Phoebe pull away from each other and take a few steps apart. Kyle's fists are clenched out of frustration and his mind is working in overload thinking about all of the things he wants to say and all the reasons he wants to use to convince Phoebe. He doesn't know where to start or what to say first, but he knows how much is riding on it.

"Please Phoebe. Can we please, please have this baby? Can you please just give me a chance to try and let me change your mind or for you to at least just give it more thought?"

"I don't know Kyle..." Phoebe replies with a sad sigh.

Opposite her, Kyle runs a hand through his hair, looking uncomfortable and completely desperate.

"Please, Phoebe. I am begging you. Please just think about it, give it more time. I will literally do anything, if you just give me and if you just give our baby a chance."

Phoebe doesn't reply and Kyle just stands there with more frustration, wracking his brain, trying to think about what he can do and what he can possibly say to reason with his ex-girlfriend and to save the life of his child.

"I tell you what. I'll give you more time to think about it, without my pressure. Just promise me you won't do anything about it in that time."

Phoebe nods and utters a few words not much louder than a whisper. "Some more time would be good. I promise I won't act on anything until I talk to you again."

Kyle acknowledges her request with another nod of his own, knowing that Phoebe is the sort of person who needs her own time and her own space to come to terms with things, to think about them and accept them. So, space is what he will give her, even if it will absolutely kill him not being able to do any more, knowing how much is at stake.

As Kyle walks away, Phoebe heads back into the caravan, feeling the guilt pulsing through her, thumping in her heart.

She thought she would be doing the right thing, not telling Kyle, at least until she felt a hundred percent certain that she wanted to keep their child.

Now? Now she's not so sure whether or not she has made the right decision and now she's not so sure about what she wants to do.

#

Later that day, Kyle is feeling anything but in the right frame of mind for his shift at Angelo's.

Maddy is quick to notice Kyle's gruff and unhappy mood early on in the shift and subtly encourages him to work behind the scenes, washing glasses and boxing pizzas while she focuses on providing customer service that won't scare away the customers.

The two are working together on their own until Ricky rushes in, almost half an hour late for the shift.

"Sorry I'm late. Casey wasn't in a good mood and it took me ages to settle him down when I dropped him off."

Really, Ricky's statement isn't an excuse or a justification, but simply just an explanation to her co-workers since she's a half-owner of the establishment.

Maddy brushes it off and makes some pleasant comment about hoping Casey's okay now, while Kyle just ignores it and continues with cleaning glasses that he is on the borderline of breaking with his bare hands.

Ricky is quick to sense her brother-in-laws foul mood and approaches him without hesitation, having had years of becoming accustomed to grumpy Braxton moods.

"Phoebe's pregnant. Doesn't know if she's gonna keep it."

Kyle says simply, forcing his words to be completely emotionless. No emotion is better since half of him is overjoyed at the fact his ex-girlfriend is carrying his child, while the other half of him is completely panicked and fearful as to what the fate of that child may be.

Looking over to Ricky when she doesn't say anything to his massive announcement, Kyle is quick to read the look on the woman's face who is standing beside him. There's no shock and no surprise, just an unusual expression that clearly indicates that she's only surprised by the fact that it's _Kyle_ telling her those words.

"You know, don't you? You _knew_ and you didn't tell me?" he says, quick to call Ricky out on her lack of response.

Ricky can hear the hurt and the betrayal in Kyle's voice, after the blows that he has been dealt by two of the women who are closest to him.

As Kyle releases his grasp on the glass and the tea-towel that are in his hands, it's little wonder how the glass doesn't break as it slides along the bench-top.

While he walks away from the bar and away from Ricky, he quickly tells her he's taking the night off before storming out of the restaurant as she continues trying to call his name, without making a scene to the diners.

#

The following morning after a very sleepless night, Kyle sluggishly walks up to the counter in the Diner.

Despite leaving work early, he had spent almost the entire night tossing and turning in bed with his mind working on overdrive to try and think of ways that he could try and convince Phoebe to keep their baby.

Since he has learnt of their child's existence, he can't stop himself from thinking about the prospect of being a father.

"One flat white; triple strength, thanks" Kyle says tiredly to Chris who is his polar opposite on the other side of the counter, as he refrains from bouncing off the walls with his bubbly manner.

"Good morning Kyle!" Chris chirps happily, in natural greeting before a look sets across his face as he realises that he hasn't congratulated the father-to-be yet. Sure, he'd promised Phoebe that he wouldn't say anything to him, but of course she's bound to have told him by now, right?!

"And might I say congratulations to you! It's been absolutely **killing** me to hold it in" Chris says congratulating the male opposite him happily before racing around from the other side of the counter to give the not-so affectionate man a man-hug.

While Kyle feels initially bowled over by hurricane Chris, his next thought quickly turns to the fact that yet another person knew about the existence of his child before he did.

"Sorry, cancel the coffee" Kyle quickly utters before fleeing the diner as quickly as he can.

Opposite him, Chris looks a little stunned, but of course, like a dog with a bone, it does anything _but_ stop him. He quickly calls out to Irene about taking his break now before trailing after the Braxton who had left for whatever reason to continue telling him what he was trying to.

Chasing after Kyle's big strides, Chris tries calling out the Braxton's name, before eventually catching up with him. Despite being completely ignored he continues to speak.

"Now, I've already been compiling a really great mix of traditional and unique baby names for either gender for you guys. But, might I just say that Christopher or Christy are non-negotiable middle names for bubs. Plus they go great with Braxton... Or Nicholson. Whichever last name it takes."

Chris's good intentions eventually bring Kyle to snap as he suddenly stops on the spot and turns back to the human puppy-dog that is following after him.

"Listen! There might not even be a baby, Chris!" Kyle exclaims angrily, although his feelings are directed at everyone other than the man that he takes it out on.

"What- but-?" he stammers speechlessly; a modern day miracle for anyone who knows Chris Harrington.

"Yeah... Just leave it Chris. I'm having enough trouble trying to find a way to convince Phoebe to keep the baby."

As Kyle walks off, he is glad when he feels like Chris is finally off his case and he is glad for him to have left it be... Until minutes later he can hear someone bounding up behind him once again.

"Wait, Kyle. Let me help. I want to help you convince Phoebe. After all, I'm not known as an ideas man for nothing..."

* * *

 **I am SO sorry that I haven't updated in approximately 100 years. That's what it feels like anyway! I don't know how many people will continue to tag along with this story, but I hope that there's a few of you out there.**

 **Next chapter: While he just can't stop thinking about the prospect of being a father,** **Kyle continues doing everything in his power to think of how he can convince Phoebe... With Chris' help.**

 **Please let me know what you thought of the chapter and if you would like some more!**


	7. Desperation

**7\. DESPERATION**

It is a couple of days after Kyle had confronted Phoebe about the pregnancy, after being informed by Matt.

Since Chris proposed to help Kyle with getting through to Phoebe, he has been working non-stop around the clock coming up with plans and ideas, even calling Kyle at three AM one morning to inform him of a plan he had been concocting in his mind as he lay there awake.

In fact, Phoebe's pregnancy has been one of the only things on not only Chris's mind, but also both the expectant parents mind's, too. Phoebe is still struggling with the right decision regarding her _very_ unplanned, unborn child while Kyle too has been consumed by doing everything in his power to think of how he can convince Phoebe.

In spite of all the time and energy that the three have put into thinking about the baby, the clock is still ticking for Phoebe's ultimate judgement and a decision to be made, either way, when it is still no closer to being reached...

#

"Ah, good... You're finally here" Chris says greeting Kyle as he strolls into the unopened Surf Club, having convinced John to let him use it before opening.

Upon seeing the other man who he has been waiting on enter the Surf Club, Chris who is far too energetic for 5 AM bounds around the room before pulling out a whiteboard filled with his scrawls.

Right up the top of the whiteboard is: 'PLAN FOR LIFE SAVING BABY NICHOLSTON'

As he sees Kyle eyeball the whiteboard, Chris grins with pride at his work.

"Did you see the heading?! Do you get it?! Baby _Nicholston_... Braxton cross Nicholson and, _life saving_... Cause we're planning to save its _life_ while we're in the Surf _Life Saving_ _Club_."

Chris looks as proud as punch, grinning widely at the work and effort that he had put into his ideas for helping Kyle out, beginning with the title.

"I get it... It's a play on words. Very clever" Kyle says in response although he looks neither the slightest bit amused or impressed. This fact, however, goes completely over Chris's naive head.

Chris's grin gets that bit wide before he responds.

"Thanks man! Anyway, let's get into it."

After grabbing a flag to use as a whiteboard pointer, Chris becomes more serious, suddenly, resembling a lecturer to his student.

"Now, if you look at the board, you can see here that I have three different angles of attack... There's an emotional approach, a practical approach and a legal approach."

Fighting back a yawn, not being used to the early start this morning Kyle finds a wall to lean against as he settles in for listening to Chris's spiel.

"Okay. Let's start with the easiest option; the emotional approach. So, to try and get through to her and help her realise that she wants to have the baby, we're going to need to get her emotions going and tug on the heartstrings. Firstly, we can work with Ricky to try and land her with babysitting Casey sometime so she's forced to realise that it's really not that hard for her. Secondly, we need to get her to watch a movie where a mother loses a child. Again, we could get Ricky to arrange a girls movie night with her watching 'My Sister's Keeper' or something. I've got a list. With all the extra hormones, I think the emotional approach should work for us."

Kyle just nods in response, trying to take in everything that Chris has thought and planned out.

"Alternatively, since Phoebe can be a stubborn mule sometimes, no offence, then we can try the practical approach on her. So, I was thinking that we can go around finding bargains or giveaways of baby items before then donating it to Phoebe. Surely she'll suddenly see that it's wasteful to get rid of all that stuff when the only thing that's missing is a baby!"

Kyle rolls his eyes. He knows Phoebe can be a stubborn mule and that being inundated and dumped with baby items won't convince her if it's not what _she_ wants.

Although he does see Kyle's eye-roll it does nothing to taint or dampen Chris's enthusiasm and passion for the cause that he is helping him with as he just continues on with the next option.

"Finally, there's the legal approach. Even though it's Phoebe's decision, you have rights, man. It's your kid too. We have two options here, also. So, we can try and push for abortions to be illegal, but I don't know how great our chances are of getting this one done in our time-frame... Or, we can fight for your rights as the father and the fact that you should have a say. However, the thing to remember with the legal option is that whenever things get legal, they also have the potential to get nasty."

Kyle nods at Chris's explanations, thinking the three different plans of attack through, in addition to all of the different options within those angles.

"Thanks for all the thought and work you've put into that. I can't see the practical idea changing Phoebe's mind, it'll just annoy her. I don't know that we could abortions to be against the law in time, either, and there's no way that a judge would listen to me and my rights with my criminal record."

"So emotional is the way to go!" Chris exclaims clapping his hands together in delight.

While Chris has his mind made up, Kyle is a little more hesitant, scratching his chin uncertainly.

"Hold up Chris. I need some time to think about this. I don't exactly think that emotionally manipulating Phoebe into having the baby is the best idea, either. Besides, she's pregnant, not an idiot... I think she'll see through it. But, I'll give it some thought and get back to you."

Chris nods with understanding, putting his flag that he'd been using as a pointer down before walking over to Kyle and slapping his shoulder reassuringly.

"I'll sort it all out. Don't you worry... just leave it to me. I'll sort it _all_ out..."

#

Later that day, Kyle is taking a bag of rubbish out to the tip on the back of Angelo's when he is approached by Phoebe who comes storming up over to him.

"Would you care to explain to me why exactly Chris dropped off 'My Sisters Keeper', 'The Words' and 'My Girl'?!"

Kyle bites his lip, knowing _exactly_ why Chris had dropped the movies off. However, Phoebe knows why too.

"At first I was thinking how good it would be to have a movie afternoon, but pretty quickly I learnt the common denominator between all three movies. Care to explain?!"

"Hi to you, too" Kyle starts with saying sarcastically, teasing the fact that there had been no greeting before Phoebe launched into her annoyance. "It's Chris... Who knows what he does or why he does it."

Phoebe's face sours as she crosses her arms in front of herself.

"Yes, I know what Chris is like. But, somehow, I've got a feeling that that isn't just the case this time. What's going on? What are you two up to?"

Kyle steps away from the recycling bin that he has just finished filling up, with a sigh.

"Listen, he's trying to help me. This morning he was running through some ideas to help me come up with ways to persuade you to have the baby. But, I told him not to go ahead with anything because it didn't sit well with me. He did that off his own bat."

Phoebe's scowl increases as does the tension of her crossed arms.

"I told you that I wanted time to think about this. You told me that you'd give me time to think about it on my own! I think it's kind of self explanatory that that would include **not** manipulating me into making a decision, too."

Kyle scratches his head anxiously. He had a feeling that accepting Chris's help was a bad move. He'd also had a feeling that Chris telling him not to worry because he was sorting it out was also the first sign for him to start worrying.

"I'm really sorry, Phoebs. I'm not trying to make it harder on you, I'm just desperate, you know?"

Kyle's apology is not enough to extinguish Phoebe's blazing anger over the boy's plot to make her mind up for her.

"Listen I told you to let me think about this on my own. You blew that. So stay away from me. I'll let you know what _I_ decide about the baby, but until then, stay away from me."

With that, Phoebe storms off as angrily as she had been when she approached him.

Despite Chris's best intentions to help Kyle, Kyle should have known that it would land him in a worse spot than _before_ Chris's 'helped'...

* * *

 **Thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. I really appreciate the support and encouragement.**

 **I went through months of writers block with this story, but since I posted the last chapter, I've worked on it a lot and now I'm about three chapters ahead, so thank you!**

 **NEXT CHAPTER** – Kyle comes up with the perfect solution. Raising the baby as a single dad. How will Phoebe react?


	8. Resolution

**8\. RESOLUTION**

It has been a long couple of days since Phoebe and Kyle's argument and neither had spoken to the other since.

Despite the time that has passed, Phoebe is still no more certain of a decision, while Kyle is stressed out of his mind knowing that there's nothing that he can do when there is so much at stake.

"Have you spoken to him yet?" Ricky asks as she pours a juice for herself and her friend as they chat in the Braxton home.

Since Ricky is well aware of all the goings-on after hearing the latest from both Kyle and Phoebe, her question is more of an encouragement trying to move the younger girl to speak to her ex-partner rather than asking if she has.

Phoebe just shakes her head in response to Ricky's question as she takes a sip of her drink.

"No, not yet... Mind you, it hasn't stopped him calling and messaging every couple of hours."

"Can you blame him?" Ricky asks pointedly and rhetorically, although it's not what Phoebe wants to hear.

Due to her close affiliations and connections with both Kyle and Phoebe she plays the Devil's Advocate perfectly with both her best friend and brother-in-law in mind.

"... He knows you're pregnant with his baby. He knows that that is up in the air. But _you_ know that that baby is _his_ dreams come true. So really can you blame him?"

Phoebe knows the answer to that question, but she doesn't want to admit it.

"I never wanted to be a mum, Rick. I never wanted kids. And now that I am in this situation it isn't as clear cut as that. Not to mention if I get rid of this one, Kyle is never going to forgive me. We won't get past that."

Ricky nods. She knows exactly what Phoebe is saying and she knows that there is no perfect solution to this problem.

"I know... I know there is no ideal, but you're in this situation now and either way you're going to have to decide what's more important to you... Not having a baby or learning to just accept it and get over the fact that it wasn't part of your plan."

Phoebe sighs as she lets her head fall into her hands. Already, Phoebe has lost count of the number of hours that she has spent considering the positives and negatives of either decision she can make. Despite all the factors one way or the other, there is just one big thing that she can't get past.

"Phoebs, I'm here for you either way, but can I just remind you of one thing while you're weighing everything up?"

Ricky's question isn't really a question as she continues talking without giving Phoebe the opportunity to respond either way.

"I know that this is a massive deal for _you_ , but just think about Kyle for a minute. This affects him, too... Just think about all he's done and everything he's done to support you in the past. His loyalty to you with supporting you when you tried to pursue your music career and everything... This can't be the only reason of whether you keep the baby or not but I think there is quite possibly nothing that he's wanted as much as this."

Phoebe listens to Ricky talking to her, as though she's trying to tell her something new, but she's not. It's a fact that Phoebe herself well knows. While she got annoyed at him at the time, she knows he got Chris's help and that he has been badgering her non-stop for that very reason.

She knows that there is nothing in life that he wants more than this.

#

A rattly knock on Phoebe's door alerts her to the visitor that is waiting outside her caravan.

After she trudges over to the door and opens it to her visitor, Kyle instantly begins speaking, trying to plead his case with the woman in front of him.

"Listen, I'm sorry. I know you told me to stay away, but you've ignored all of my calls and messages. It's been almost a week and it's doing my head in. I just needed to see you."

Phoebe just stands there, arms crossed, looking far from impressed as she speaks sharply.

"I haven't done anything and I haven't made my mind up in that week."

Kyle gives a half sigh of relief. All of the fear that has been pulsing through him for the last week has been pointless, so far. He's still in with a chance for things to go his way.

"Okay. Good..." is all that he can manage saying as he tries hiding his relief, failing miserably.

As she steps outside of the caravan, Kyle follows Phoebe as she takes a few steps away before settling on a spot to stand and talk, knowing even she has no chance of turning Kyle away now. It's easier to just hear him out before sending him on his way.

"So you wanted to talk? Make it snappy."

"I wanted to apologise to you again about what happened with Chris. I only accepted his help because I'm desperate. I knew I would never forgive myself if I didn't let him help... if I didn't take every chance I've got. But, I'm sorry. I know trying to plot together wasn't fair on you."

Phoebe nods, her strong crossed arms loosening slightly as her attitude towards Kyle softens gently.

"Thank you. I know I reacted badly towards it, but I also know how desperate you are... You had good intentions."

A silence falls between the two as they share a soft glance. After an uncomfortable week, things are at least civil between the two again, something that they mutual acknowledge as they share a small smile with each other.

"Now Phoebs, I've been doing some thinking. I know that you're really not keen on the idea of a baby and parenthood and you know that I'm quite the opposite. It got me thinking, what if I raise the baby?"

Phoebe stands there gawking at Kyle for a minute, not quite sure how to respond. Sure, like he said, they know how keen he is for parenthood and they know that it had never been a part of her plan. But, now that Kyle is posing to her what could quite possibly be the perfect solution, the medium and the balance to keep them both happy, she couldn't quite commit herself to the idea.

"I understand how you feel about everything. In the past you made it quite clear that you didn't think that you were ready for parenthood any time soon, if ever. I don't want to force you into having the baby and going along with that if it's something that you truly won't be happy with..."

As Kyle pleas with Phoebe, it is one of the few, rare moments that she is rendered speechless. She doesn't know what to think and she doesn't know how to feel about Kyle's suggestion.

"... But, please go through with this pregnancy. _Please_. Obviously I would prefer to raise a baby with you, but I'm happy to do it on my own. If you please go through with it, I'll raise it as a single dad."

Kyle feels hopeful as Phoebe appears to be standing there, considering his idea and suggestion. Really, she's just trying to form a legible response. However, what comes next and what comes out of Phoebe's mouth takes things for a turn.

"No."

For a moment, Kyle just stands there gawking and speechless when he'd been so confident that things were better with Phoebe and since he'd been convinced that he has found the perfect solution.

" _What_? Why not? Won't you even consider it?"

"No."

"But-" Kyle begins to say with so many things that he thinks about saying after that flooding his mind. But, he pushes them to the side as he runs his hands through his hair and does a one-eighty degree turn in the opposite direction.

"Actually, you know what; I don't want to hear why not. I can't do this anymore. I'm desperate and I'm trying to be reasonable but it just keeps getting slammed back in my face."

After the unanticipated setback he begins to walk away from Phoebe's caravan leaving in the direction that he came from. However, Kyle turns back and pauses to say one more thing to Phoebe before continuing on his way.

"Look, Phoebe, I have never asked anything of you. I have supported you and your dreams, trying to make it in the music industry. Please. I am begging you. Please listen to the one thing I am asking of you, for _my_ dream."

Kyle turns around and continues walking away even though his entire mind and his entire being are consumed with what remains at the caravan park.

Watching as he leaves and watching as he walks away, Phoebe can see his turmoil. She knows that he would literally do anything and he would literally sacrifice anything for their child to be born; to become a father; to have a family...

After all of the rejection in his life including from his own family, Kyle deserves a family that wants him back as much as he wants them.

Phoebe can see that he would do absolutely anything for the family he wants so much. Phoebe knows that he would fight as hard as he can for his family and that he would do anything within and beyond his power to keep them safe. Hell, he has already proven he will simply by trying to convince her to have their baby, trying as hard as he can to save its little life.

"Kyle" she calls out, having to repeat his name twice before it catches his attention and he hears it, turning back and walking over to her.

"Now that I am in this situation, nothing is as clear cut as what I thought it would be..."

Kyle can't risk becoming overexcited by her comment, so he simply tries to probe her further before reacting.

"What do you mean?"

"I feel frozen – I know that I don't want to get rid of this baby, but I don't how to go from there. Trying to force myself to deny the fact that I want to have the baby doesn't change anything. It doesn't change the fact that I want to have it. I don't know if I can do it and I don't know if I'll be any good at it, but I'm just simply scared to admit that I want to. I am scared by the fact that I want this baby."

A small smile creeps over Kyle's lips. He can't help but hide his joy at what he thinks she is saying, but he can't bring himself to rejoice over it just yet.

"What are you saying?"

"I'll keep it, Kyle. I'll have the baby. I don't want you to do it without me. I want to do this with you."

The total joy and ecstasy that spreads across Kyle Braxton's face is completely unmistakeable. There is no way to hide it and there is no way to conceal the excitement and the emotion of the moment, even in Kyle's eyes as a very small, but very un-Braxton tear threatens to spill his watering up eyes at the prospect of becoming a father; the prospect of having his own child.

Finally, the family that he has always wanted...

With his dream set to come true, what could possibly go wrong?


	9. Conditions

**9\. CONDITIONS**

There's a knock at the door of the caravan. Each time that someone knocks on the aluminium door, it echoes throughout the small van; impossible to miss. However, feeling nauseous and feeling tired; Phoebe really, really wishes that just this _once_ she couldn't hear the knock at the door, the request from whoever is on the other side to come in.

"Unless you're Channing Tatum, go away" Phoebe says loudly from her bed to whoever is standing outside.

There's a small, but familiar chuckle from the other side of the door.

"Is the door open? You don't have to get out of bed; I'm just dropping something off."

There's another groan from Phoebe as she realises that the door is still locked from the night before and that opening Kyle and letting him is easier than being badgered until she does eventually do it.

Slinking out of bed, in her pyjamas, Phoebe groggily walks towards and unlocks the door, not even bothering to open it before bounding back to bed all in the time that it takes Kyle to open the door and let himself in.

"How are you feeling? Have you had any morning sickness?" Kyle asks he puts the box that he'd been carrying down on the bench, remaining standing.

"Awful is how I'm feeling. Just like I have for every morning for the last two weeks... Because in answer to your question, yes. Yes I have had a _lot_ of morning sickness."

Kyle's face scrunches up. He doesn't know quite what to say in response, knowing that not only is Phoebe's whinge being pinned on him, but also knowing that there's not an awful lot that he can say or do to make it better. Instead, he focuses on earning himself a few brownie points.

"I'm really sorry, Phoebs. It must suck... Anyway, I brought you some breakfast from the Diner for when you feel up to eating."

"What exactly did you bring?" Phoebe asks curiously, with Kyle's judgement and fate hinging on whether or not he passed the test on knowing what to bring his ex for breakfast.

Opening the box and showing her as evidence, Kyle verbally informs her too.

"A bacon and egg roll and a mango smoothie."

Phoebe unleashes a silent fist pump in the air, showing her approval as Kyle just grins.

"Anyway, I'll get out of your hair and let you rest for a bit longer. Do you think that we could meet up a bit later? You know, to talk all this through..."

As Phoebe wriggles further into her bed and further into the quilt, she ponders the question silently as well as what outcomes could come from either answer she gives Kyle.

"Fine... Meet me on the Pier at 3."

Kyle nods in confirmation, giving Phoebe a wave of his hand before taking three small steps to reach the door of the small caravan, beginning to leave.

"I hope you feel better."

As Kyle leaves, closing the door behind him, Phoebe is left to her own thoughts as she closes her eyes in an attempt to fall back to sleep.

Call it hormones, call it unresolved feelings, call it whatever you will, but Phoebe is left with a little smile on her face thinking of Kyle and the way he had cared for her this morning, by his words, by his actions and by his breakfast-in-bed for her.

The youngest Braxton has a reputation -like they all do- for being broody and dark, but there had been no mistaking the smile in Kyle's face that is as present in his eyes as it is on his lips, not to mention the glow on his face.

Sure, the way he had cared for her this morning and the happiness on his face was all because she's having his baby, but it's still nice. It's still like the old times. It's still like the last few months before the proposal, and even like it was in Melbourne all those years ago.

Kyle always could bring a smile to Phoebe's face and warmth to her heart, and some things never change...

#

It is unsurprising that when Phoebe eventually reaches the Pier overlooking the Bay, Kyle is already standing there waiting. It is both unsurprising that she is the late one and that he had been there 10 minutes early than necessary, just because he is seeing _her_.

"Hey there" Phoebe greets as she approaches Kyle, to catch his attention from where he is looking out on the water.

"Hi... How are you feeling?"

As Phoebe approaches Kyle, she too leans against the wooden railing of the pier, right beside him as they both look out to the still-water of the Bay.

"Better, thanks. And thanks for breakfast this morning too."

"My pleasure" Kyle replies, turning his head to the left, just a little, to view her with a smile.

The two stand in silence together for a moment. There's a lot that needs to be said and there is a lot that needs to be discussed, but for just a moment they stand together silently and peacefully in each other's company.

"So, I've got an appointment with Nate next Tuesday... Now I can't imagine that it will be all that exciting, but you can come with me, if you'd like to?"

Kyle nods enthusiastically, with a smile that gives away much more than his answer.

"I don't know if I've got any arrangements for Tuesday, but I can change it. I'll be there."

Phoebe can't help but smile at his reaction.

The smile on her face is clearly contagious as it spreads across to the gloomiest Braxton whose face lights up even more too.

While the two share a moment, smiling at one another's smiles, Phoebe eventually comes-to and remembers a point that is detrimental for her to bring up, detrimental for him to know if she will be raising Kyle's baby.

"Kyle, listen, I've been thinking about the baby..." Phoebe begins to say, pausing when she sees the expression on his face; looking like he's seen a ghost.

The fear on his face as to what her next words will be is evident. He can't stop himself from speaking before she has a chance to explain.

"Don't tell me you've changed your mind, Phoebe... I thought we agreed to keep the baby."

Another small smile graces Phoebe's lips at the reminder of _just_ how wanted this baby is by its father.

"Yes, we have and I haven't changed my mind. If you'd let me speak, what I was going to say is that I need to talk you about the Braxton's affiliation when it comes to crime."

"I'm listening" Kyle replies quickly. Nothing she could possibly say next could be quite as bad as what he had feared she had been about to say.

Phoebe looks down to the beams of the pier momentarily, considering exactly what points she wants to make in her speech to Kyle, before her gaze returns back to him.

"Alright... I've seen Ricky and Brax. I've seen what she went through when he was arrested while she was left there, having his baby. I've seen what she's gone through since, being stalked and Casey being kidnapped. I can't do that. I won't sit around waiting for kidnapping, arrests or people being hurt, or even _killed_. Crime is just a never-ending circle of tit for tat."

Phoebe pauses to take a breath and Kyle, sensing she hasn't finished her verbal essay, doesn't dare to speak just yet.

"So, if you want to be a part of this baby's life, I need you to promise me that you will not be involved in anymore crime – ever. I don't care if it's for your brothers, for Ash, for Andy, for Alf, whatever. I don't care who it's for or what the reason is –justified or not- but like I said, if you want to know your kid and if you want to be a part of it's life, you need to promise me that it stops **_now_**."

Phoebe takes a few solid breathes, having sacrificed breathing for a few moments to be able to fully focus on delivering every point that she wanted to tell Kyle. So, she stands there, waiting, watching him analyse what she has just told him regarding the one and only condition for him to being an involved father.

"Alright, I'll do it. Family is everything to me. You know that. That's the only reason why I've ever gone with whole crime deal in the past; for, or to protect, family. If that means jeopardising my kid or my relationship with my kid, I won't do it. I'm out."

Phoebe's lips crack a smile. She knows that Ricky and Brax must have had similar discussions and that Brax must have made similar promises, but looking at the man in front of her, she's sure he means it.

"You promise? Because I swear, if Kat or Emerson so much as knock on the door-" Phoebe begins to threaten, while Kyle can't help but hide a smile at her indignation.

"I promise, Phoebs" Kyle swears earnestly, looking her deep in the eyes to show he means it.

Then, for added effect he takes her hand in his and continues to agree to her conditions. "I promise you that if anything comes up with the other boys; I'm out, no questions asked. I promise you that I'll be by your side to help you raise our kid."

* * *

 **Thanks for sticking with this story, reading and reviewing it.**

 **Next chapter: Kyle  & Phoebe are faced with shocking news at her ultrasound. **


	10. Surprises

**10\. SURPRISES**

After their meeting on the pier, Kyle and Phoebe spent the rest of the afternoon together, talking things through until he walked her home that evening.

When Kyle finally returns to the Braxton residence, Ricky is doing some tidying and making the most of Casey being down for the night.

As soon as he walks inside, Ricky is instantly suspicious of Kyle's grin from ear-to-ear.

"What have you done? You've gone from giving up smiling cold-turkey to looking like the Cheshire cat."

"I'm gonna be a dad, Rick" Kyle says, finally proclaiming the announcement that he has been bursting at the seams and erupting with excitement to tell someone. "Phoebe's agreed to keeping the baby."

Ricky instantly reciprocates and shares his grin with him, walking over to and wrapping her brother-in-law in a congratulatory hug.

"Oh, Kyle... Congratulations! I'm so happy for you."

"Thanks Rick" Kyle says as he holds Ricky in the hug, while smiling at her delight for him, which only increases his radiant joy. "She's got an appointment in a couple of days. It's the first time both of us will see the baby."

Ricky smiles at the man in front of him as his radiating delight only widens her smile. She knows the excitement and joy she felt whenever she had the chance to see her own son, Casey, with ultrasounds before he was born, but she can remember _exactly_ how much more incredible the first time was.

"You're gonna love it, Kyle" the young mum says with a warm smile.

Neither she nor Kyle know exactly how much he will love the ultrasound, and the surprises that come with it.

#

Days later, the time had finally arrived for Phoebe's first ultrasound. By now, this should be her second ultrasound, but with all of the indecision over her pregnancy, as well as her avoidance of it in general, she was only just now going in with Kyle for her first prenatal appointment.

Before the doctor's appointment with Nate, Kyle and Phoebe had planned to stop past The Diner to pick up some breakfast together.

Kyle and Phoebe had arranged in advance to meet up at The Diner before going on to the appointment together.

He has already been sitting there ready and waiting for the last twenty minutes when Phoebe comes rushing into The Diner.

"I'm late! Ah! I'm sorry! Morning sickness was really bad this morning. It was just like a waterfall – wouldn't stop. Anyway, here now" Phoebe says apologetically as she races into the establishment and over to Kyle, putting strangers that are seated nearby off their food.

Kyle just chuckles at her and her melodramatic nature.

"Hey. I've already ordered you a breakfast wrap."

"Oh you're incredible! I've trained you well."

Kyle just smiles before asking Phoebe what drink she'd like while he pulls out his wallet, preparing to be served.

"Good morning!" Chris greets just seconds later, only just emerging from the cool room, completely missing Phoebe's morning sickness spiel just seconds earlier. "Ah, Kyle can I speak to you for a moment?"

Kyle glances at Phoebe to quickly confirm that all was forgiven after the hard feelings when she had discovered that Chris and Kyle had teamed up to plot ways to convince Phoebe to keep she and Kyle's baby.

After having seen the two standing there waiting for their order, Chris grabs Kyle by the arm and drags him onto the balcony outside, out of earshot from Phoebe.

"Yes?" Kyle questions after being pulled outside by the other man.

"Nice one. Breakfast out? Try and spend time with her to convince her that there's still a little something-something between you two while gently encouraging her that having a baby isn't such a bad idea... This is an emotional approach, yeah?"

It takes Kyle a moment of confusion to get up to speed with what Chris is saying before the dots finally connect. Finally Kyle remembers that in the time between Phoebe finding out about Kyle and Chris teaming up to convince her to have the baby, the boys subsequently putting the brakes on plotting and Phoebe agreeing to keep the baby, he hadn't actually relayed the last fact back to Chris.

"Oh, no... It's not like that... I forgot to tell you that a couple of days ago Phoebe agreed to having the baby. Because it's still early on, we're trying not to tell too many people about the pregnancy, though. That's actually what we're doing now; we're stopping past here for breakfast on the way to the doctors."

Instantly, Chris bounds closer to Kyle and wraps him in a hug.

"Congrats man! That's awesome news! We did it!"

After releasing him from the hug before ushering Kyle into a high five the two boys walk back over to Phoebe who's now holding the takeaway bags with their breakfasts.

"Great news, Phoebs!" Chris exclaims as he nears the mother-to-be, wrapping her too in a hug while Kyle just stands back, smiling gratefully.

A week ago, he had no idea that he'd be standing here, the stress of whether or not Phoebe would keep the baby, gone. Now, he can just enjoy the prospect of being a father while sharing that news with his friends.

* * *

After Nate calls the duo into the room, the appointment begins with poking and prodding movements and questions as he checks on her general health, blood pressure and such like.

Then, after seating her on the reclined examination chair, Nate finally begins the next stage of the appointment as Phoebe and Kyle talk to and try to preoccupy each other; anxiously anticipating the impending ultrasound, while the doctor records numbers and adds information to Phoebe's medical record.

It is only after several minutes when Nate speaks up, checking one fact with Phoebe when the alarm bells begin to ring.

"Phoebe? I believe you mentioned something about it earlier, but this is definitely your first prenatal appointment, right?"

"Yeah... Why?" Phoebe asks curiously in response to the odd question coming from her doctor and friend.

Meanwhile, Kyle's eyebrows furrow as he notices that the doctor's English accent has become suddenly stronger with his last question. Additionally, he takes a note of the serious expression on his face, instantly panicking the father-to-be.

"Nate? What's going on? Is there something wrong with the baby?"

"There's nothing wrong with the _babies_."

At first, relief floods both Kyle and Phoebe... until Nate's wording slowly begins to compute and register that he had used the plural of the word that they had been expecting.

"Congratulations guys... You're having twins."

As he stands there processing the news, a slow beam begins to flood Kyle's face, proving anyone wrong who thought Kyle's smile couldn't get any bigger when Phoebe agreed to keeping their baby.

Meanwhile, it's a good thing that Phoebe is sitting on the examination table as her eyes dilate massively, just as slowly as Kyle's smile takes to form.

Just like that, the one little thing slowly bringing Kyle and Phoebe together again has turned out to be _two_ little things...

* * *

 **Hey guys. Thanks to everyone who has been following this story. I really, really appreciate the support, feedback and time that you spend reading and reviewing it.**

 **If you have any ideas or anything you'd like to see me incorporate into the story, let me know and I'll see what I can do.**

 **P.S. This will probably be the last update for 2016.**


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